Patents by Inventor Kenji Matsuzaka
Kenji Matsuzaka has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 12124188Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body that includes a photosensitive member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed and a development unit configured to develop the photosensitive member with toner. The main body is configured to discharge a recording material on which an image is formed with the toner onto a discharge tray. The image forming apparatus also includes a toner supply port on which a supply container is mounted to supply toner to a toner containing portion of the development unit. The image forming apparatus further includes a non-contact communication portion including an antenna and configured to receive a signal for user authentication. The discharge tray, the toner supply port, and the non-contact communication portion are provided at an upper portion of the main body. The non-contact communication portion is provided outside the discharge tray when the main body is viewed from above.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2023Date of Patent: October 22, 2024Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kei Hayashida, Kenji Matsuzaka, Tomio Noguchi, Takahiro Azeta
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Patent number: 12111601Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable, the developer container including an accommodating portion, and a supporting portion, wherein the developer container includes a projection portion that is provided at one end portion thereof in the rotation axis direction of the developer bearing member and projects toward the supporting portion more than a center portion of the developer container in a crossing direction crossing the rotation axis direction, the projection portion communicates with the accommodating portion and includes, at a distal end portion thereof, an attachment portion configured such that the replenishment container is attachable thereto in a state of being exposed to the outside of the apparatus, and a replenishment port for replenishing the accommodating portion with developer from the replenishment container is defined in the attachment portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2023Date of Patent: October 8, 2024Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Hiroshi Takarada, Kenji Matsuzaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida, Masaaki Sato
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Publication number: 20240210873Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container having an accommodating portion to accommodate developer, and a replenishment port for replenishing the accommodating portion with developer from an attachable replenishment container. A transfer portion transfers the developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray supports the recording material, and a discharge portion discharges the recording material on the supporting surface. The supporting tray has an opening portion opening with the replenishment port being exposed through the supporting surface, wherein an opening/closing member is movable between a closed position where it covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed. Movement of the opening/closing member to the closed position is hindered by the replenishment container in a state it is attached to the developer container.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2024Publication date: June 27, 2024Inventors: Tomio Noguchi, Masaaki Sato, Kenji Matsuzaka, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida
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Patent number: 11947305Abstract: An apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion and a replenishment port, a transfer portion configured to transfer a developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface configured to support the recording material thereon, and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2022Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomio Noguchi, Masaaki Sato, Kenji Matsuzaka, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida
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Patent number: 11815831Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a storage container in which toner is stored, a replenishment port configured to allow replenishment of toner from the replenishment container outside the image forming apparatus to the storage container therethrough, a replenishment restriction portion, a drive source configured to supply a driving force, and a drive transmission portion configured to take a first operation state, in which the drive transmission portion transmits the driving force of the drive source to the replenishment restriction portion to switch the replenishment restriction portion between a restricting state and an allowing state, and a second operation state, in which the drive transmission portion transmits the driving force of the drive source to a toner conveyance portion to cause the toner conveyance portion to convey toner.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2021Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shinji Kubo, Kenji Matsuzaka, Tomio Noguchi, Kenichi Tagami
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Publication number: 20230259050Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body that includes a photosensitive member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed and a development unit configured to develop the photosensitive member with toner. The main body is configured to discharge a recording material on which an image is formed with the toner onto a discharge tray. The image forming apparatus also includes a toner supply port on which a supply container is mounted to supply toner to a toner containing portion of the development unit. The image forming apparatus further includes a non-contact communication portion including an antenna and configured to receive a signal for user authentication. The discharge tray, the toner supply port, and the non-contact communication portion are provided at an upper portion of the main body. The non-contact communication portion is provided outside the discharge tray when the main body is viewed from above.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2023Publication date: August 17, 2023Inventors: Kei Hayashida, Kenji Matsuzaka, Tomio Noguchi, Takahiro Azeta
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Patent number: 11669024Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body that includes a photosensitive member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed and a development unit configured to develop the photosensitive member with toner. The main body is configured to discharge a recording material on which an image is formed with the toner onto a discharge tray. The image forming apparatus also includes a toner supply port on which a supply container is mounted to supply toner to a toner containing portion of the development unit. The image forming apparatus further includes a non-contact communication portion including an antenna and configured to receive a signal for user authentication. The discharge tray, the toner supply port, and the non-contact communication portion are provided at an upper portion of the main body. The non-contact communication portion is provided outside the discharge tray when the main body is viewed from above.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2021Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kei Hayashida, Kenji Matsuzaka, Tomio Noguchi, Takahiro Azeta
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Publication number: 20230134527Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable, the developer container including an accommodating portion, and a supporting portion, wherein the developer container includes a projection portion that is provided at one end portion thereof in the rotation axis direction of the developer bearing member and projects toward the supporting portion more than a center portion of the developer container in a crossing direction crossing the rotation axis direction, the projection portion communicates with the accommodating portion and includes, at a distal end portion thereof, an attachment portion configured such that the replenishment container is attachable thereto in a state of being exposed to the outside of the apparatus, and a replenishment port for replenishing the accommodating portion with developer from the replenishment container is defined in the attachment portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2023Publication date: May 4, 2023Inventors: Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Hiroshi Takarada, Kenji Matsuzaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida, Masaaki Sato
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Patent number: 11616892Abstract: For a plurality of types of print media, a pre-trained model is prepared, the pre-trained model being generated by machine learning based on spectroscopic information of an unprinted area on the print medium and an identifier indicating the type of the print medium and using the identifier as a trainer. The spectroscopic information of the unprinted area on the print medium to print on is acquired. The acquired spectroscopic information is applied to the pre-trained model. Using a result thereof, auxiliary information about the type of the print medium is outputted. A specification of the type of the print medium using the outputted auxiliary information is accepted. When the type of the print medium is thus specified, printing is performed using a print condition suitable for the print medium.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2021Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Yuko Yamamoto, Takahiro Kamada, Mitsuhiro Yamashita, Shotaro Matsuda, Ryoki Watanabe, Kenji Matsuzaka
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Publication number: 20230078527Abstract: An apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion and a replenishment port, a transfer portion configured to transfer a developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface configured to support the recording material thereon, and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2022Publication date: March 16, 2023Inventors: Tomio Noguchi, Masaaki Sato, Kenji Matsuzaka, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida
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Patent number: 11579816Abstract: A printing condition setting method is a printing condition setting method of setting printing conditions in a printing apparatus, including a learning step of performing machine learning by using ink physical characteristics and ink type information, a similarity score calculation step of calculating a similarity score indicating a similarity of a use ink used for printing in the printing apparatus with respect to a learned ink learned in the learning step, and a printing condition setting step of setting the printing conditions according to the use ink based on the similarity score.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Takahiro Kamada, Satoru Ono, Yuko Yamamoto, Ryoki Watanabe, Mitsuhiro Yamashita, Kenji Matsuzaka
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Patent number: 11573521Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable, the developer container including an accommodating portion, and a supporting portion, wherein the developer container includes a projection portion that is provided at one end portion thereof in the rotation axis direction of the developer bearing member and projects toward the supporting portion more than a center portion of the developer container in a crossing direction crossing the rotation axis direction, the projection portion communicates with the accommodating portion and includes, at a distal end portion thereof, an attachment portion configured such that the replenishment container is attachable thereto in a state of being exposed to the outside of the apparatus, and a replenishment port for replenishing the accommodating portion with developer from the replenishment container is defined in the attachment portion.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2021Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Hiroshi Takarada, Kenji Matsuzaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida, Masaaki Sato
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Patent number: 11556088Abstract: An apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion and a replenishment port, a transfer portion configured to transfer a developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface configured to support the recording material thereon, and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2021Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomio Noguchi, Masaaki Sato, Kenji Matsuzaka, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida
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Publication number: 20220305804Abstract: A print condition setting method for setting a print condition in a printer includes: an ink type learning step of executing machine learning of an ink type discriminator using physical property information of ink and an ink type identifier; a medium type learning step of executing machine learning of a medium type discriminator using characteristic information of a medium and medium type identification information; and a print condition setting step of setting the print condition according to an ink type discriminated by the ink type discriminator and a medium type discriminated by the medium type discriminator.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventors: Mitsuhiro YAMASHITA, Takahiro KAMADA, Kenji MATSUZAKA, Satoru ONO, Ryoki WATANABE
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Publication number: 20220194099Abstract: A method for executing a discrimination process of a printing medium includes a step (a) of preparing N machine learning models when N is an integer of 1 or more, a step (b) of acquiring target spectral data which is a spectral reflectance of a target printing medium, and a step (c) of discriminating a type of the target printing medium by executing a class classification process of the target spectral data using the N machine learning models.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2021Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventors: Takahiro KAMADA, Ryoki WATANABE, Satoru ONO, Kenji MATSUZAKA
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Publication number: 20220197572Abstract: A printing condition setting method is a printing condition setting method of setting printing conditions in a printing apparatus, including a learning step of performing machine learning by using ink physical characteristics and ink type information, a similarity score calculation step of calculating a similarity score indicating a similarity of a use ink used for printing in the printing apparatus with respect to a learned ink learned in the learning step, and a printing condition setting step of setting the printing conditions according to the use ink based on the similarity score.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2021Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventors: Takahiro KAMADA, Satoru ONO, Yuko YAMAMOTO, Ryoki WATANABE, Mitsuhiro YAMASHITA, Kenji MATSUZAKA
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Publication number: 20220159140Abstract: For a plurality of types of print media, a pre-trained model is prepared, the pre-trained model being generated by machine learning based on spectroscopic information of an unprinted area on the print medium and an identifier indicating the type of the print medium and using the identifier as a trainer. The spectroscopic information of the unprinted area on the print medium to print on is acquired. The acquired spectroscopic information is applied to the pre-trained model. Using a result thereof, auxiliary information about the type of the print medium is outputted. A specification of the type of the print medium using the outputted auxiliary information is accepted. When the type of the print medium is thus specified, printing is performed using a print condition suitable for the print medium.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2021Publication date: May 19, 2022Inventors: Yuko YAMAMOTO, Takahiro KAMADA, Mitsuhiro YAMASHITA, Shotaro MATSUDA, Ryoki WATANABE, Kenji MATSUZAKA
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Publication number: 20220075291Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a storage container in which toner is stored, a replenishment port configured to allow replenishment of toner from the replenishment container outside the image forming apparatus to the storage container therethrough, a replenishment restriction portion, a drive source configured to supply a driving force, and a drive transmission portion configured to take a first operation state, in which the drive transmission portion transmits the driving force of the drive source to the replenishment restriction portion to switch the replenishment restriction portion between a restricting state and an allowing state, and a second operation state, in which the drive transmission portion transmits the driving force of the drive source to a toner conveyance portion to cause the toner conveyance portion to convey toner.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2021Publication date: March 10, 2022Inventors: Shinji Kubo, Kenji Matsuzaka, Tomio Noguchi, Kenichi Tagami
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Publication number: 20220026829Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body that includes a photosensitive member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed and a development unit configured to develop the photosensitive member with toner. The main body is configured to discharge a recording material on which an image is formed with the toner onto a discharge tray. The image forming apparatus also includes a toner supply port on which a supply container is mounted to supply toner to a toner containing portion of the development unit. The image forming apparatus further includes a non-contact communication portion including an antenna and configured to receive a signal for user authentication. The discharge tray, the toner supply port, and the non-contact communication portion are provided at an upper portion of the main body. The non-contact communication portion is provided outside the discharge tray when the main body is viewed from above.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2021Publication date: January 27, 2022Inventors: Kei Hayashida, Kenji Matsuzaka, Tomio Noguchi, Takahiro Azeta
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Publication number: 20210405577Abstract: An apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion and a replenishment port, a transfer portion configured to transfer a developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface configured to support the recording material thereon, and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2021Publication date: December 30, 2021Inventors: Tomio Noguchi, Masaaki Sato, Kenji Matsuzaka, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida